OT: Visit and Donation Today, Larsen Tractor Test and Power Museum

dbCooper

For those that work the land, the Nebraska Tractor Test Lab is a asset to their livelihood.  Some info on them is here . . . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebraska_Tractor_Test_Laboratory

There is also a museum at the testing site.  Mrs. Cooper inherited a collection of scale farm implements/tractors last Fall.  Those were all sold off except for this one that we donated to the museum today . . .

Here's a shot of the test track . . .

And a selection of some of the items on display . . .

Botch

My Dad had and used that Oliver 70, and a very similar Allis-Chalmers.  Thanks for the smile!  

DoubleEgger

Very cool 

lousubcap

As above-way to connect with family in a very personal way.  

WeberWho

Great post! Thank you.

alaskanassasin

That’s really cool @dbCooper thanks for sharing. What a cool job that would have been too. 

stlcharcoal

Botch said:

My Dad had and used that Oliver 70, and a very similar Allis-Chalmers.  Thanks for the smile!  

My grandfather had an Oliver 77 which was pretty much the same tractor with a little more HP.

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Every year in my family's hometown of Highland, IL, they have a power show with really old tractors and equipment.  The cool thing is, it all still works.  They fire up these 70, 80, 90+ year old tractors (some are steam), and run the leather belts from the PTOs to all kinds of saws, pumps, etc.  It is amazing.

It's out on the homestead of Latzer family that started the Pet Milk evaporated canned milk company.....about a half mile from our farm.

BTW, it's next weekend!!  https://highlandilhistoricalsociety.org/upcoming-events/

Botch

stlcharcoal said:

Every year in my family's hometown of Highland, IL, they have a power show with really old tractors and equipment.  The cool thing is, it all still works.  They fire up these 70, 80, 90+ year old tractors (some are steam), and run the leather belts from the PTOs to all kinds of saws, pumps, etc.  It is amazing.

It's out on the homestead of Latzer family that started the Pet Milk evaporated canned milk company.....about a half mile from our farm.

BTW, it's next weekend!!  https://highlandilhistoricalsociety.org/upcoming-events/

Madison, SD has a similar annual event in Prairie Village:  https://www.prairievillage.org/jamboree_schedule/
 
My Dad got my Grandma & Grandpa to drive all the way to Sioux Falls (from Rake, IA) one year, then he drove us all to Madison (I was a young teenager) for a Jamboree.  Once we got thru the gate, Grandpa turned into a little kid at Christmas. He got so excited to see all those old vehicles he grew up with, all running and threshing, grinding, sawing, pumping, etc.  One motor really fascinated me, it was a single-cylinder motor with an immense flywheel, the cylinder would fire violently and spin the whole thing for a dozen or so rounds, before some mechanism would squirt more fuel into the cylinder and fire again, once.  We all came home caked with sweat, wheat chaff, corn chaff, coal dust and who knows what else.  I would like to see that Jamboree again, one more time.  

alaskanassasin

It’s called a “Hit N Miss” @Botch

dbCooper

alaskanassasin said:

It’s called a “Hit N Miss” @Botch

I remembered Canadians had a different name for them, 'cause of their nonconformity problem.  Couldn't remember it so had to look it up . . . "Make and Break".